Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli ( born January 5, 1920 in Brescia, † June 12, 1995 in Lugano ) was an Italian pianist.

Life

As a child Benedetti Michelangeli did not really become a pianist. His father and his mother played the piano, but he loved the violin and wanted to become a violinist. His model was the famous Bronislaw Huberman. But then he had to illness the instrument switch and trained in the years 1930-1933 at the Conservatory in Milan by Giovanni Anfossi for pianists.

In 1938, he finished with 18 while only the seventh place in the Ysaÿe Music Competition ( Queen Elisabeth Competition ) in Brussels (the winner was Emil Gilels ), but one year later gained Benedetti Michelangeli at Piano Competition in Geneva the first prize. Jury member Alfred Cortot then spoke of "a new Liszt". He then practiced for two years from a teaching position in Bologna.

In February 1943, he has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ernest Ansermet at the Berlin Philharmonie with Robert Schumann's Piano Concerto.

His international career began with a debut in London in 1946. 1964 he founded the International Pianist Academy in Brescia, which he chaired for five years. His students included, inter alia, Ivan Moravec, Martha Argerich and Maurizio Pollini.

Repertoire

His perfectionism may be traced to that, he focused on a relatively narrow repertoire. In addition to the music of Ravel and Debussy, he devoted himself specially selected works of Viennese Classicism and Romanticism. Many of his interpretations were characterized by large color richness, tonal perfection and structural clarity.

Trivia

Michelangeli had the reputation of an aloof perfectionist who already canceled concerts due to minor defects. Feared were his irritated reactions due to even small disturbances from the audience.

He traveled in principle with his own wings and a private piano tuner; with his instrument was a wing of the very small Italian factory Tallone whose trademark was that only dull blades could be produced, because the painting was missing the space.

Recordings

Benedetti Michelangeli Debussy recordings is today accorded reference status in general. As an outstanding recordings also are the recordings of Scarlatti, Chopin, Ravel and Schumann mentioned. An early recording of the Paganini Variations (of the 28 pieces he let three off) and the ballads, Op 10 by Brahms was to become the benchmark for future performers.

Early recordings of individual pieces of the Catalan composer Federico Mompou it is due, perhaps, that his actions will not be forgotten.

Benedetti Michelangeli edited 19 Folksongs a cappella choir for the climber Coro della SAT from Trento.